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verb as in make declaration
Strongest matches
add , announce , answer , assert , claim , convey , declare , deliver , disclose , do , estimate , express , maintain , mention , read , repeat , reply , report , respond , reveal , speak , state , suggest , tell , voice
Strong matches
affirm , allege , communicate , conjecture , divulge , flap , gab , guess , imagine , imply , jaw , judge , lip , opine , orate , perform , pronounce , rap , recite , rehearse , relate , remark , render , rumor , spiel , utter , verbalize , yak
Weak matches
break silence , come out with , give voice , make known , put forth , put into words
Example Sentences
We are not guests in the Middle East,” Nasrallah says., “We are the owners of this region.
See why Charlize Theron interrupts her and says.:“You have to stop saying that.”
He must hold himself ever in readiness to wiggle-waggle in the perpetual Simon-says-thumbs-up game which his crowd is playing.
Bristles—my friend Bristles of the Universal-says he's a perfect—what do they call that pretty street in Southampton?
My notion is it's a sight more interestener nor the Say-an-says.
Un-un-uncle Mose s-says she's raised s-s-s-six sev—en other folks' ch-ch-ch-childern, anyhow.
There's not a trade agoing,Worth knowing or showing,Like that from glory growing!Says the bold soldier boy.
On this page you'll find 78 synonyms, antonyms, and words related to says, such as: respond, claim, convey, speak, suggest, and add.
From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
14 Other Words for “Said” in an Essay
You want to sound as engaging and interesting as possible when writing an essay, and using words like “said” might prevent that.
So, if you’re about to use “said” for the umpteenth time, you’re in luck!
We have gathered some alternatives to show you other ways to say “said” in an essay that are bound to keep the reader entertained.
Other Ways to Say “Said”
Key takeaways.
- “Stated” is a great essay word that shows you are quoting a specific statement from a trustworthy source.
- “Declared” is a great way to describe an announcement or official quote.
- “Mentioned” is a bit simpler and allows you to highlight a quote that’s relevant to your essay.
Keep reading to find out how to quote what someone said in an essay. We’ll go over the three most effective terms to help spice up your academic writing.
One of the most common ways to replace “said” in an essay is “stated.” It’s a great formal synonym that helps to keep things direct and clear for the reader.
It works well before a quote. You should write “stated” to clarify that you’re about to run a quote by the reader.
Of course, you can’t claim that someone “stated” something without backing it up with evidence.
The last thing you’ll want is for the reader to look into the quote and find out it was never actually said.
But, as long as you’ve done your research, this works well. Good academic phrases that start with “stated” help you to establish a clear quote relating to the bulk of your essay.
These essay samples will also help you understand it:
It’s clear that he stated “time is the killer of all things.” However, nobody really understood the prophetic meaning behind it.
She stated that “it’s time to make the changes you want to see in the world.” That’s what led most people to join the revolution.
For a more impactful alternative, you can use “declared.”
You won’t find “declared” quite as often as “said,” but it’s still an incredibly good term to include.
It’s a formal synonym. It also shows that someone announced something important .
Generally, “declared” comes before compelling quotes. It might be more suitable to use it when quoting a famous politician or monarch of some kind.
It’s a surefire way to engage the reader and spark their imagination.
We highly recommend it when you’re certain that it belongs before a quote and will allow you to establish a more powerful meaning behind it.
Perhaps these essay samples will also help you with it:
The king declared “good things will come to those who ask me for them.” He was a very proud man.
She declared that “this was going to be the only time she offered her services to those in need.”
Feel free to use “mentioned,” too. It’s another word you can use instead of “said” in an essay that’ll keep things engaging for the reader.
It’s much subtler than the other phrases. It suggests that someone has made a brief comment about something, and you’d like to quote it for the reader.
Don’t worry; it’s still a good formal synonym. However, you should use it when the quote isn’t the most important part of your essay.
Quotes are there to add a bit of context for the reader. So, they’re not always needed to improve an essay.
“Mentioned” is a simple word that allows you to include a short but interesting quote . However, it usually isn’t as impactful as saying something like “declared” or “exclaimed.”
You can also refer to these essay examples:
The politician mentioned that “we cannot know what we haven’t already experienced.” That resonated with me.
It was clear that he mentioned “things were bound to change soon,” so they had to figure out what he meant.
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10 “Said” Synonyms You Can Use in All Types of Writing
Elevate your writing by adding these ten synonyms of “said” to your vocabulary. They can be more accurate and help you avoid repetitiveness throughout your text.
Other Words You Could Use Instead of “Said”
- Knowing other words you can use in place of said can improve your writing because it adds variety and removes repetitiveness.
- Five formal alternatives of said are: announced , commente , explained , replied , and stated .
- Five creative alternatives of said are: whispered/exclaimed , rambled , chimed , bemoaned , and scolded .
Why You Should Know Other Ways To Say “Said”
Whether you’re writing a formal text or creative text, you may notice that said is a frequently used verb. After all, it denotes information that someone has spoken. Said can be found in essays such as explanatory essays, where the writer has to explain what a source has, well, said .
It’s also found in creative writing to commence a dialogue. Below, you’ll find five alternatives that are perfect for formal settings and five alternatives that are great for creative writing.
Five Other Ways To Say “Said” In Formal Writing
1. announced.
As you might have guessed, this alternative is perfect when you are quoting an announcement.
2. Commented
Use this said alternative when you are quoting someone's opinion or response to something.
3. Explained
Use explained when referring to an explanation someone gave.
Replied is used when someone is answering a question or replying to something.
Stated is used exactly as said , but carries a more formal tone.
Five Other Ways To Say “Said” in Creative Writing
These other words for said are perfect within dialogue, to advance a storyline, or for many other creative uses.
1. Whispered/Exclaimed
Whispered and exclaimed are ideal synonyms when you want your readers to visualize the volume of what the speaker is saying.
Rambled implies that the speaker is talking a lot.
As a verb, the literal definition of chimed is “to make a musical ringing sound.” This is a good word to use to help your readers visualize a happy or excited speaker.
4. Bemoaned
Bemoaned means “to complain or regard something with displeasure,” so use it when you want to display that someone is sad or upset.
Use scolded when the speaker is angry and/or wants to influence someone’s behavior.
He Said, She Said, They Said
💡 Keep in mind that all these examples also work in the present tense.
There are hundreds upon hundreds of different words you can use in place of said . Remember to keep the context in mind when choosing an alternative. Another tip to keep in mind that will help strengthen your writing is to make sure your text is free from spelling and grammar errors. Not only can LanguageTool provide accurate synonyms, but it can check for all types of mistakes in more than twenty languages.
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Synonyms For “Say” or “Said”
For narrative writing, sometimes you want to use a verb other than “he says” or “she said.” This is a cheatsheet to help you break out of that rut.
| Variation | Possibilities |
|---|---|
| Explanatory | answered, acknowledged, explained, proposed, replied, responded, retorted |
| Tone: Anger | fumed, raged, scolded, shrieked, shouted |
| Tone: Argumentative/Oppositional | argued, contended, countered, cried out, demanded, dictated, emphasized, insisted, maintained, ordered, preached, proclaimed |
| Tone: Happy | giggled, joked, laughed |
| Tone: Sad | agonized, cried, mourned, screamed, sobbed, wept |
| Tone: Suggestive | hinted, implied, insinuated, intimated, suggested |
| Tone: Tired/Pleading | begged, implored, mumbled, murmured, muttered, pleaded, whispered |
| Tone: Understanding | accepted, agreed, empathized, sympathized |
| Tone: Miscellaneous | cackled, drawled, exclaimed |
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27 replies on “Synonyms For “Say” or “Said””
These comments are so old, I was 1 when the first comment was written, but anyways, this was a lifesaver, THX
What would you use if you had to do a character that is sad but happy and anouncing something
Yelled, Raged, and DAB ON IT (LOL)
that is called onomatoeipia
Hello, this word list helped me a lot, I have learned a lot of different words
what if i am using character who is shy and what words i would use say for that?
Mumble, Murmur, Whisper, Stutter, etc.
it would be helpful if there were words for called as i am writing a story
Hey! Thanks for this list! It will help in my 6th grade writing class but I have a question. What if a chracater is to speak in a nervous tone, or a bully-like tone. It would mean a lot that you could find these answers and possibly more tones for perfect essay writing! But I will definetly use these tips in my essay. thanks!
If you plan to have talking animals, you can also use “yowled”, “mewed”, “bark”, “yipped”, “squawked” and other depending on the animal.
Crackled, fizzled, beeped and similar can be used for mechanical creatures.
thanks this helps a lot with animal and other misc stuff!
Thank you. This is going to help me on my essay, and my writing. I’m 14 and I write novel type books in my spare time, if I have any at all.
You’re welcome, Kayla.
[…] http://wiredpen.com/resources/synonyms-for-say-or-said/ […]
Thank you for these life saving tips! There really going to help me with my book, it’s SciFi and has a lot of dialog. But you need another tone, like chat or something. Because I wanna find words that I can use in normal chat.
I have a 141 word list
thank you. I am 14 and writing a novel that has a lot of dialog. This really helped me!
Thank you, this will help me alot with my essay.
Awesome… thankyou
really usefull! also i would add cried to the sad list.
Life saver.
What a useful list. Thankyou. May I add – cautioned, yelled, roared, allowed (agreement) tittered, chuckled, hissed, growled. I’ve seen ’empathised’ in books but that’s not strictly accurate as empathy is the ability to *feel* what someone else is feeling and often used quite wrongly.
You can sympathise, as that is understanding, but not empathise. :)
Also, to any budding writers, there are many words which even experienced writers use wrong (and get them past lazy editors! ) One is “prone” – if a person is lying prone, they are face down (look it up in the dictionary is my rule) this leads to hilarious visual situations such as when someone is ‘lying prone and gazing at the stars’ !! The other word which really annoys is ‘brackish” this is a mixture of salt and fresh water, as one might find in an estuary, it does NOT mean dirty water, as is so often implied. The other important thing is to make your clauses agree. To write, “Driving in to work, a tree fell on Mary’s car” means the tree was driving. :) ‘Driving in to work, Mary’s car was hit by a tree’ – is better
“She was so tired she jumped into the bed in her underclothes” recently caused me to laugh out loud.
The rule here is to ask yourself “what or who is that first clause about?” The 2nd clause should be about that too.
Dan, thanks for alerting me to the Spam!
Thanks a lot for these ! :] Rachelle is just stupid and ignorant. She won’t get far in life with her attitude.
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300+ Ways to Say “Said” (“Say”): A Word List for Writers
He Said. She Said. They Said.
Said is a convenient word when you need it, and some pundits claim you should never use anything else, ever, to attribute dialogue.
I disagree.
Please don’t get huffy until you read this entire post, especially if you’re a writer who swears on a bushel of Dothraki bells that said is the best way — nay, the only way — to tag conversation.
Repeat any word often enough, and it morphs into an irritation just as obnoxious as a saddle sore on a long ride.
Forget the rules . Invent your own. Whatever engages readers is right.
Consider the Following Micro-Story
An icy draft speared through the living room as John stepped into the house from the wintry blizzard that raged outside. His arms overflowed with packages.
“Please close the door,” Amy said . “It’s freezing in here.”
John said , “Close it yourself!”
Amy said back, in an angry tone, “What did you say?”
“I told you to close it yourself,” he said , in a voice so loud it rattled the windows.
She pressed her lips into a firm white line and said , “You’re the one who pays the heating bill. But I guess you have lots of money. You can afford it.”
He slammed the door closed and said , “If you’d get off your duff and find a job, I wouldn’t have to pay all the bills myself.”
Amy said , “Well, if you hadn’t got me preg —”
“You’re pregnant?” John said . “Why didn’t you say something?”
Try This Instead
Amy glanced up from the baby booties she was knitting. “Please close the door. It’s freezing in here.”
John glowered . “Close it yourself!”
“What did you say?”
“I told you to close it yourself.” The windows rattled. From the angry volume of his voice? Or the storm?
She pressed her lips into a firm white line. “You’re the one who pays the heating bill. But I guess you have lots of money. You can afford it.”
He slammed the door. “If you’d get off your duff and find a job, I wouldn’t have to pay all the bills myself.”
“Well, if you hadn’t got me preg —”
“You’re pregnant?” John beamed and dropped the packages. “Why didn’t you say something?”
Did You Notice the Changes in the Second Piece?
#1. Two paragraphs have no attribution. With obvious back and forth of dialogue, it’s unnecessary and distracting to tag every snippet of speech
#2. Action beats replace dialogue tags in a few spots.
Amy glanced up
John glowered
She pressed her lips
He slammed the door
John beamed
#3. The knitting of baby booties gives readers a clue about the ending, which comes as an abrupt surprise in the first piece.
#4. One adjective, angry , describes John’s attitude. Yes, it’s a tell, and the pundits who recommend that you should always show might disagree with its use. However, rules are made to be broken. Right?
#5. One narrative statement becomes interrogative. Judicious use of questions can draw readers into prose or poetry.
Reread the pieces to see how much stronger the second example is. Both contain the same number of words.
Now Consider a Third Version
John retorted, “Close it yourself!”
“I told you to close it yourself,” he snapped. The windows rattled. Perhaps from the angry volume of his voice?
Did You Catch the Two Said Alternatives?
Retorted and snapped are so much more effective than said .
But don’t overdo! Like exclamation points, em dashes, and ellipses , excessive use of colorful verbs for dialogue tags irritates readers.
By the way, the third piece contains the same number of words as the first two.
And About That Slamming Door
It’s unnecessary to say someone slams a door closed.
Whenever You Need a Direct Replacement for Said , Refer to This List
Some of these words contravene the show, don’t tell rule.
As always, watch for clichés, and apply these suggestions sparingly. Some, while suitable for children, might not be appropriate for adults.
Words such as neighed or whickered can describe a character’s voice , especially appropriate for someone with a horsey face. Frugal use recommended.
Although many writers show their characters laughing, sighing, sobbing, or breathing speech, I recommend you avoid verbs like these as dialogue tags. Save them for action beats, or substitute body language to show emotions.
Lied or doubted and their ilk can break point of view if not used correctly. Many of these would be suitable for micro fiction where tell is often the norm, because show requires too many words.
A accused, acknowledged, acquiesced, added, admitted, admonished, advised, advocated, affirmed, agreed, alleged, announced, answered, apologized, applauded, argued, asked, assented, asserted, assured, avowed
B babbled, badgered, barked, began, begged, bellowed, bellyached, beseeched, bickered, blabbed, blabbered, blathered, bleated, blubbered, blurted, boasted, boomed, bragged, brayed, broke in, bubbled, burst out
C cajoled, called, carped, cautioned, challenged, charged, chatted, chattered, cheered, chided, chimed in, chirped, chittered, chorused, claimed, clarified, clucked, coached, coaxed, commanded, commented, complained, complimented, conceded, concluded, concurred, confessed, confided, confirmed, congratulated, contended, continued, contradicted, contributed, cooed, corrected, corroborated, counseled, countered, cried, croaked, crowed, cursed
D and E debated, decided, declared, decreed, deduced, demanded, demurred, denied, described, directed, disagreed, disclosed, disputed, dissented, divulged, doubted, drawled, dribbled, droned, echoed, effused, ejaculated, elucidated, emphasized, encouraged, ended, entreated, exclaimed, explained, exploded, exulted
F to H finished, fretted, fussed, gibbered, gibed, gloated, granted, greeted, griped, groaned, growled, grunted, grumbled, guaranteed, guessed, gurgled, gushed, harangued, hinted, hissed, hollered, howled, huffed, hypothesized
I to M imitated, implied, implored, informed, inquired, insisted, interjected, interrupted, intoned, instructed, invited, jabbered, jeered, jested, jibed, joined in, joked, lamented, lectured, lied, lisped, maintained, marveled, mentioned, mimicked, mocked, mumbled, murmured, mused, muttered
N to P nagged, nattered, neighed, nitpicked, noted, objected, observed, offered, opined, ordered, persisted, persuaded, pestered, piped, pleaded, pled, pledged, pointed out, pondered, praised, prated, prattled, prayed, pressed, proclaimed, professed, promised, proposed, protested, provoked, purred, put in, puzzled
Q and R quavered, queried, questioned, quipped, quizzed, quoted, raged, ranted, rattled on, reasoned, reassured, rebuked, recalled, reckoned, recommended, recounted, reiterated, rejoined, related, remarked, remembered, reminded, repeated, replied, reported, reprimanded, reproached, reproved, requested, resounded, responded, resumed, retaliated, retorted, revealed, roared
S and T sang, sassed, screamed, scoffed, scolded, shot, shouted, shrieked, shrilled, slurred, snapped, snarled, sniveled, spat, speculated, spluttered, spoke, squeaked, squealed, stammered, started, stated, stormed, stressed, stuttered, suggested, surmised, swore, tattled, taunted, teased, testified, theorized, threatened, thundered, told, trilled, tutted
U to Y urged, uttered, verified, volunteered, vowed, wailed, warned, weighed in, went on, wheedled, whickered, whimpered, whined, whinnied, whispered, whooped, wondered, worried, yammered, yawned, yakked, yelled, yelped, yowled
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8 thoughts on “ 300+ Ways to Say “Said” (“Say”): A Word List for Writers ”
I don’t use dialogue tags. Never. They’re a distraction created by lazy writers. You have to be more careful to make sure the reader knows who’s talking, though.
Gordon, if you can do that and produce a story that seems natural, good going. However, wouldn’t the absolute avoidance of anything, whether it be dialogue tags or adverbs, seem unnatural to readers?
You make some good points. I find ‘said’ annoying when it is a question. It is technically correct, but that is a personal tick. If it is a question and needs a dialogue tag, I used asked. I am also willing to use whispered and shouted. I really do not care what ‘rule’ someone else makes up. But that is the full list of dialogue tags I am willing to use. If only two people are speaking, the reader should be able to tell who is speaking much of the time without being told. If they cannot, a beat will often be good, but you don’t want to turn your character into a jackrabbit by making her bob about too much either. A judicious mix when needed is, in my opinion, the best choice.
I prefer simple: asked, in/enquired, requested, demanded, stated, whispered, mumbled, murmured, muttered, yelled, shouted, explained, and a few others.
However, when writing for kids or creating a humor piece, words such as brayed, cawed, etc., create the perfect image.
I’m somewhere in the middle when it comes to the “said” argument. While the tags “said” and “asked” are generally invisible, they’re also pretty bland at times and not entirely sufficient at getting across the intended tone or inflection of a person’s voice.
People don’t always just “say” things. Sometimes they scream, whisper, mutter, hiss, and so on.
I’m in the middle too, Rhonda. I’m usually not keen on a character “whinnying” dialogue, but in rare cases, it works.
I hope 2022 is treating you well!
Great article! I love the rewritten versions, much improved, and the list is very helpful too. Your advice is solid — not to be completely rigid on “always use said” but not to overdo the alternates.
One additional consideration when using action beats in lieu of dialogue tags, is whether a listener will be able to interpret dialogue as dialogue when the story is read aloud. In your examples above it’s clear, but sometimes a character will say something that could easily be interpreted as narrative rather than dialogue.
I often read novels aloud to my children, and sometimes have to stop and explain who was speaking, or insert dialogue tags myself.
Thanks, Mike. Great tips!
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200+ Other Words For Said: Synonyms to Spice up Your Writing
General Education
One of the words that comes up most commonly in various types of writing, from fiction to academic writing, is the word “said.” Any time a writer is referencing the words or thoughts expressed by another person, whether that be thoughts expressed verbally or in writing, an appropriate way to introduce--or attribute--that person’s thoughts is with the phrase “said.”
But if you’re incorporating a lot of quotations in your writing, you might find yourself repeating the word “said” a lot. Repeating the same phrase in a piece of writing can start to feel monotonous, which is why incorporating synonyms or an oft-used word or phrase can make your writing more interesting and accurate. But here’s some good news: there are tons of other words for “said” out there for you to use!
To help you build a repertoire of words to replace “said,” we’re going to do the following in this article:
- Explain the importance of using word variety and avoiding repetition of the same word in your writing
- Explain when to use “said” and when not to use “said”
- Provide a comprehensive list of alternative words for “said,” organized into categories based on emotion and intention
Ready to check out some synonyms for “said”? Then let’s get going!
Other Words for Said
To give you the most comprehensive and easy-to-navigate list, we’ve organized our list into two main categories: first, we’re including several lists of other words for “said” by emotion , and second, we’re including several lists of different words for “said” by intention or action . You can decide what meaning you’re trying to express in your writing, and use our lists accordingly!
Happy Words to Use Instead of “Said”
We’re going to kick off our list by giving you a lot of other words for “said” by emotion, starting with synonyms for “said” that convey a happy, joyful, or positive tone.
Sad Words to Use Instead of “Said”
Sadness is a common emotion expressed in writing--let’s look at a few synonyms for “said” that convey sadness.
Angry Words to Replace “Said”
There are a ton of synonyms for “said” that express anger, and we’ve included several of them for you here.
Different Words for “Said” That Express Shock or Surprise
When you want to communicate a tone of shock or surprise in your writing, try using these synonyms for “said”!
Other Words for “Said” That Express Fear
The last emotion it might be helpful to be able to express accurately and vividly in your writing is fear. Here’s a list of synonyms for “said” that you can use to demonstrate a feeling of fear.
Words to Replace “Said” That Are Expository
If you’re working with a quote in which the speaker is clarifying information or explaining something, you can try out these words instead of “said”!
Other Words for “Said” That Are Argumentative
When you incorporate quotes or dialogue that make an argument, use these synonyms for “said” in your attributions.
Words to Use Instead of “Said” That Are Critical
If a speaker in a quote or piece of dialogue is forming a critique, incorporate one of these different words for “said” in your attribution.
Words to Use Instead of “Said” That Are Implicative
Try using these alternative words for “said” that imply meaning.
Words to Replace “Said” That Seek Information
Sometimes you need to include an attribution that shows a speaker is searching for information. These synonyms for “said” can help you establish a tone of inquisitiveness!
Words to Replace “Said” That Reveal Information
Finally, if you need a word other than “said” that reveals information, try out the options in the list below.
When to Use Different Words for “Said” in Your Writing...And When Not To
In most cases, deciding when to use words other than “said” in your writing is up to your discretion. But there are actually some situations when it’s correct to use “said” exclusively to attribute a piece of dialogue or a quote in your writing . This depends on the type of writing, so we’re going to break down the situations when you should definitely use “said” here!
The first situation where you can expect to see writers exclusively using “said” is in any type of writing that relies on AP Style . “AP” stands for “Associated Press,” and this set of style guidelines is the standard for journalistic writing. This includes writing for newspapers, magazines, and public relations in the United States. AP Style provides a lot of rules about grammar, spelling, punctuation, and language use, and using “said” for quote attribution is one of those rules.
Impartiality and objectivity are two values that are extremely important in journalistic writing. Unlike many synonyms for “said,” which reveal a speaker’s feelings, attitude, or intentions, “said” doesn’t try to interpret the feelings, attitude, or intentions of the speaker. “Said” just states factual information: the words in the quote were spoken by a person or group of people . Using “said” allows the journalist to remain impartial and objective about the information, and it also lets readers interpret the meaning of quoted material on their own.
Technical Writing
While not exactly a rule, using “said” is an unspoken expectation for quote attribution in technical writing. Technical writing is a style of writing used in business environments and some scientific fields, like engineering . It’s important for this style of writing to be clear, specific, and, in most cases, concise. In fact, readers of technical writing appreciate a writer’s ability to communicate directly and plainly by using short, direct words. That’s why “said” is the best choice for introducing quotes or paraphrases in technical writing: it’s clear, specific, and concise.
Creative Writing
Creative writing is a third situation that might require you to think strategically about when to use “said.” In creative writing--like fiction, for instance--when and how often to use “said” is pretty much up for debate. There are a lot of synonyms for “said” that you can use to convey the emotions or intentions of a character in dialogue, but you don’t necessarily have to use some flowery synonym for “said” every time you include a piece of dialogue in creative writing. In fact, sometimes it’s okay to strategically omit attributions altogether.
Here’s one example of a way to present dialogue in creative writing that doesn’t overuse attributions:
“I suppose I didn’t see the point.” Paige shook her head. “It’s not like you would’ve let me go if I’d told you ahead of time.”
“That’s really selfish, Paige.”
Even without attributions for every piece of dialogue in the example above, you can still get an idea of how the characters feel and what their intentions are through the dialogue beats (“She crossed her arms angrily,” and, “Paige shook her head”) . Alternatively, dialogue attributions in creative writing are another place where word variety is important. Your attributions are a great way for you to add emotion and imagery to your work. That means sometimes you might simply use “said,” sometimes you might use a more expressive synonym for “said,” and other times you might forego attributions altogether.
Academic Writing
One final writing situation where you’ll find yourself needing to make decisions about when to use “said” is academic, research-based writing. In academic writing, it’s important to be clear about who you are quoting and to provide adequate context for the quote you include. For example, if the scholar you’re quoting is making an argument in the quote you include, it would be more accurate to say, “Dr. Garcia argued” or “Dr. Garcia claimed,” instead of “Dr. Garcia said .” Using a quote attribution that gives your reader a clearer sense of the speaker or writer’s purpose and tone.
3 Reasons Why Word Variety Is Important in Writing
Word variety is important to any type of writing for three main reasons: using a variety of words can make your writing more engaging, more accurate, and more expressive .
First, using a variety of words can make your writing more engaging and interesting for the people who are reading it. In some types of writing, like poetry , repetition is used as a strategic stylistic device. In lots of cases, though, writers repeat the same word because they don’t know its synonyms. After a while, readers might feel a bit exhausted by repetitiveness in a piece of writing. That’s one reason why knowing and using synonyms for commonly repeated words is so important!
Second, word variety can make your writing more accurate. For example, while “said” is always going to accurately describe a piece of dialogue or a quote from an outside source, there are words to use instead of “said” that can reveal the intention behind dialogue or the information conveyed in a quote .
Let’s say you incorporate a quote where the author is disagreeing with a point made by a scholar. Sure, you could introduce that quote with, “Dr. Smith said.” But you could be more accurate by introducing the quote with a word that indicates that the quote is going to express disagreement, like, “Dr. Smith countered ” or “Dr. Smith responded .”
Finally, your writing is expressive and vivid when you avoid repetition . When your word choice reflects the emotions or tone expressed by a quote or piece of dialogue that you include in your writing, your readers can get a better sense of your intended meaning. Using synonyms for “said” to create tone and imagery in your writing can help readers better understand your position and make them more willing to buy into your ideas.
What’s Next?
If you’re studying for the verbal portion of your SAT or ACT, we’ve got you covered. Here are our expert guides to the verbal portions of the SAT and ACT , and we even have tips and tricks to help you tackle the essay sections ! These are just a few of the tons (and tons!) of resources we have, so be sure to check out our blog for more information.
This cheat sheet for ways to say “said” can be really helpful if you’re starting to write your college admissions essays . Learn how to start your essay off perfectly , and make sure you know the biggest mistakes you should avoid , too.
If you’re using this guide to help you write creatively, you might be a great fit for a creative writing degree ! Here’s a guide to the best creative writing colleges and programs in the United States.
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Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.
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Find 176 synonyms and antonyms of says, a verb meaning to express or convey in words. See examples of how to use says in essays and other contexts.
Find 78 different ways to say SAYS, along with antonyms, related words, and example sentences at Thesaurus.com.
Learn how to use different words to replace "said" in your academic writing and make it more engaging and interesting. See examples of "stated," "declared," and "mentioned" and how to use them before quotes.
Learn how to use different words instead of said in essays and other texts. Find out the meanings and examples of five formal and five creative alternatives of said.
Find 76 similar and opposite words for essay, a short piece of writing or an effort to do something. Learn the difference between essay and related words like attempt, endeavor, strive, and try.
Find synonyms for says, a verb meaning to utter words using speech or to convey or express in a particular way. See lists of similar words for different contexts and examples of usage.
Find different ways to express speech in narrative writing with this cheatsheet of synonyms for "say" or "said." Learn how to vary the tone, mood, and style of your dialogue with these alternatives.
Learn how to replace "said" with other words to avoid repetition and improve your writing. Find synonyms for "said" based on tone, emotion, volume, and more.
Find 272 words and phrases for says, a word that means to communicate or report something. See examples of how to use says and its synonyms in different contexts.
in your essays? Simply replacing the word "said" with one of the following synonyms could give ... The words "admitted" and "remarked" both carry more weight than the word "said." To say simply means to say, but to admit and to remark both mean to say in a distinct and specific way. Synonyms for Said. Rev. Summer 2014.
Find over 100 synonyms and antonyms for SAYS, a word that means to express or state something. See how to use SAYS in sentences and related words and phrases.
SYNONYMS FOR SAID. When writing academic papers you often need to make reference or quote the work of other authors. It would be more interesting for the reader if you used some of these synonyms instead of using the word said every time you use and idea or quote from another author. The words in bold are especially useful in academic writing.
He Said. She Said. They Said. Said is a convenient word when you need it, and some pundits claim you should never use anything else, ever, to attribute dialogue.. I disagree. Please don't get huffy until you read this entire post, especially if you're a writer who swears on a bushel of Dothraki bells that said is the best way — nay, the only way — to tag conversation.
Synonyms for SAYS: alleges, asserts, avers, speaks, remarks, affirms, pronounces, declares, responds, asseverates, supposes, tells, answers, claims, states, avows ...
ESSAY - Synonyms, related words and examples | Cambridge English Thesaurus
Learn how to use different words for said to spice up your writing and avoid repetition. Find synonyms for said by emotion, intention, action, and more.
Find synonyms for essay in different contexts, such as noun, verb, or literary work. Browse a list of similar words from WordHippo Thesaurus, with definitions and examples.
If you're struggling to choose the right words for your essay, don't worry—you've come to the right place! In this article, we've compiled a list of over 300 words and phrases to use in the introduction, body, and conclusion of your essay. Contents: Words to Use in the Essay Introduction. Words to Use in the Body of the Essay.
Synonyms for ESSAY: composition, theme, article, paper, piece, assay, proof, test, trial, tryout, attempt, effort, trial, endeavor, try, dissertation; Antonyms for ...
Synonyms for SAY: tell, talk, utter, speak, discuss, share, state, give; Antonyms of SAY: suppress, stifle, read, doubt, question, wonder (about), challenge, disagree ...
Another way to say Essays? Synonyms for Essays (other words and phrases for Essays). Synonyms for Essays. 374 other terms for essays- words and phrases with similar meaning. Lists. synonyms. antonyms. definitions. sentences. thesaurus. words. phrases. Parts of speech. nouns. verbs. Tags. topics. endeavors.
SAY - Synonyms, related words and examples | Cambridge English Thesaurus
Committees don't need applicants to be "level 10/10 vulnerable," Simpson says, "but a lot of strong scholarship essays we've seen include moments or details that make us feel connected to the ...
"Mid" is an obvious example. I don't think it even qualifies as teenage slang anymore — it's too useful and, by now, too widespread. In my son's usage, things that are mid are things ...